Valve for internal combustion engines



June 7, 1932. F L SIMS 1,861,885

VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 21, 1951 Zsnnentor 8 Frank L453 I Ottorneg-S.

Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic FRANK L. SIMS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO LOUIS HAVEN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed Apri121, 1931. Serial No. 531,770.

The present invention relates to improvements 1n valves for internal combustion engines, and has for an ob ect to provlde an improved cooperating valve stem and washer which will dispense with the necessity of making openings through the valve stems it extremely easy to disengage and remove the valves.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and will be more par- ;ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like'or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the valve in closed position with the valve seat shown in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the valve detached.

Figure 3 is aperspective view of the improved washer.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section through the washer.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of valve stem on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 6 is a similar view of a further modified form.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 10 designates generally the cylinder block and 11 the opening therein through which the valve stem 12 projects. The valve head or valve body is indicated at 13, and such valve is adapted, in the usual manner, to close against the valve seat ll of the block 10.

In accordance with the usual practice,a coil spring 15 is employed to surround the valve stem 12 and to abut at one end against the cylinder block 10, and at its other end against a washer 16, which is usually aflixed to the valve stem as by the use of valve keys or other separate parts.

In accordance with the present invention, this washer 16 is provided with a pair or more of lugs 17, projecting into the central opening 18 of the washer; and these lugs are adapted to cooperate with groovesmadeinthe valve stem 12. These grooves comprise entrance grooves 19, which entrance grooves extend substantially parallel with the axis of the valve stem 12 and open through the lower end of such valve stem. These entrance grooves 19 progress a suitable distance and then communicate at their inner portions with circumferential or lateral grooves 20, which in turn communicate with locking grooves 21, which locking grooves extend downwardly from the transverse or circumferential grooves 20, and terminate at their lower ends in closed sockets in which the projections or lugs 17 of the washer 16 are adapted to rest in interlocking engagement.

Now the washer 16 is constructed in accordance with the conventional manner by rovidin a concavit 22 on one side and a convex surface 23 on its opposed side. On the convex side, the washer is modified from the usual plan, by the formation thereon of an annular seat or groove 24:, extending within an outer marginal ridge 25.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, a modified form of the valve stem 12a is shown having an elongated entrance groove 19a, which communicates with a series of lateral or circumferential grooves 20a and 20b leading from the entrance groove 19a in opposite directions and stepped at different elevations. Each of the lateral grooves 20a and 20b terminates in or communicates with a closed locking groove 21a or 21?). As many of these lateral and locking grooves may be provided, as desired, upon one or both sides of the central entrance groove 196;.

Referring more particularly to Figure 6, a further modified form of the invention is shown, in that the valve stem 120 is provided with an entrance groove 19c communicating with a lateral groove 200 and with a locking groove 210. From off the lateral groove 200 extends a further entrance groove 19d communicating with a further lateral groove 20d and its locking groove 21d. In lilte manner, other and further entrance, lateral and lockinggrooves mav be provided in any suitable number and in any suitable relation and arrangement.

In the use of the device, the spring 15 is put in place over the stem 12 after the valv has been inserted through th block, and th upper end of the spring 15 is fitted against the block while the lower end is engaged with the washer 16. This washer is simply forced upwardly with its lugs 17 entering the entrance grooves 19, the sprii'ig 15 being compressed before it. As soon as the lugs I? reach the lateral grooves 20, the washer is rotated so as to turn the lugs 1'? over into registry with the locking grooves 21. Thereupon, the washer is released and the expansive action of the coil spring will force the washer downwardly so that the lugs 17 will seat in the closed sockets of the locking grooves 21. In this position of the parts, there will be an effectual locking engagement between. the

washer and the valve stem, which engagement will be impracticable to disturb during any normal running operation of the engine; moreover, it will be apparent that all separate parts, such as locking keys and the like heretofore used for securing the washer upon the valve stem, are eliminated. Likewise, the necessity for making new openings through the valve stems and thus weakening the same is dispensed with.

It will be further noted that such added parts, as are now found necessary, usually drop to the bottom of thecrank ease and are difiicult to recover. Usually, the pan must be dropped afterwards and the oil drained so as .1 to reclaim all such parts which would do great injury to the motor were they left in the crank case.

Moreover, it will be noted that the release and removal of the valve is greatly facilitated by the use of the present invention, inasmuch as the washer may simply be pushed upwardly toward the cylinder block and then rotated to free the lugs, and the coil spring 15 will then eject the lugs 17 through the entrance grooves 19, thus automatically freeing the washer; or the valve 13 itself may be rotated to effect this disengagement when the lugs 17 are brought into alignment with the transverse grooves 20.

Now the washer 16 is preferably countersunk along both edges of its central opening 18 to cooperate with the bevelled or reduced edge 26 of the valve stem 12. This arrangement will facilitate the entry of the stem 12 through the opening in the washer 18, ir-

respective of which side of the washer is presented to the valve stem. Ordinarily, the concave side 22 of the washer will be presented to the spring 15, the concavity forming a natural seat for the end convolutions of the spring 15. However, when the spring is to be subjected to a greater amount of tension, this result may be secured by simply reversing the washer 16 so that its convex side 23 will be presented against the end helices of spring 15, which helices will in that event rest in the seat 24-and be confined and retained in place by the annular ridge 25 of such washer. In this way the spreading of the lower portion of the spring 15, which spreading might be fostered by the convex portion 23 of the washer, is avoided owing to the fact that the terminal convolution of the spring has a depressed seat 24 in the washer and is confined cireumferentially by the ridge 25.

When the washer 16 is lifted, that is, pressed upwardly toward the cylinder block, it will automatically'raise the valve 13 easily from its valve seat and will thus do away with the necessity of cranking the motor to extract the valve, which procedure is that ordinarily resorted to. by mechanics to get the valves out of the motor.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts could'be made, which could be used without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I do not meanto limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United $tates is 1. An improved valve for internal combustion and other motors, including a valve stem having a locking groove, a coil spring surrounding said stem, and a reversible concavo-convex washer having means for interlocking in either position with said groove and for confining the end of the spring in place.

2. An improved valve for internal com bustion and other motors, including a valve stem, a coil: spring extending about said valve stem, a washer having a central opening with countersunk portions at both sides thereof for quick entry upon the valve stem, said washer having a convex face and an opposed concave face, said convex side of the washer having a seat with a raised ridge thereabout for retaining the spring end.

FRANK L. SIMS. 

